LAND-USE PERMITS AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO FERTILIZER AND LEACHING TAXES FOR THE CONTROL OF NITRATE POLLUTION

Legislation emanating from the European Community is establishing pres sures to take action to reduce the level of nitrates in water, and the principles established towards environmental management indicate an e mphasis on prevention rather than treatment. This paper analyses three possible approaches by means of controls on fertilisers, on nitrate l eaching and on land use. These are incorporated into a linear programm ing model of a catchment in Cambridgeshire. The results indicate the s uperior cost-effectiveness of controls over leaching and the severe im pact which taxes would have on farm incomes. A system of permits on la nd use is found to be relatively cost-effective and to offer an admini stratively feasible alternative.